New Zealand Freshwater Fish

DSC_0904 Teviot flathead galaxias (Galaxias 'Teviot') one of 12 species of endemic, non-migratory galaxiids from southern New Zealand. Over the last decade, nearly half the known Teviot populations have been lost. This can be directly linked to the spread of sports fish (trout and brook char), which eat galaxiids; and changes in land use such as stock access to streams, reduction of native vegetation, land development and forest harvesting. They are classified Nationally critical, now occupying an area of only 0.5 hectares. The last few populations remain in a few headwater streams small enough to step across in the Teviot River, surrounding Lake Onslow *